Qantas engineers ignoring new maintenance system

QANTAS has filed an application against engineers for ignoring a new maintenance system and continue to conduct tasks that are no longer required on its aircraft.

Australia's national carrier filed the application with Fair Work Australia today against the Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority gave Qantas formal approval for the implementation of a new system of maintenance, known as 'maintenance on demand', for Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A330 aircraft operating on domestic routes, which began yesterday.

But the union has instructed licenced engineers to ignore the new system and continue conducting pre-flight maintenance checks on every flight, despite such checks no longer being required on these modern aircraft.

The unprotected industrial action will have no impact on passengers or flights.

Qantas domestic chief executive officer Lyell Strambi said the new system brings Qantas into line with aircraft manufacturer guidelines and other airlines, including Virgin Australia and Jetstar.

"We have invested significantly in new aircraft, which enables a more modern approach to servicing and maintenance,'' she said.

"Modern aircraft have sophisticated systems which alert us to mechanical issues meaning engineers dont need to check the aircraft before every single domestic flight.

"Our cars don't get repaired the same way as they did 20 years ago and the same goes for our aircraft.

"This change means that highly skilled engineers will be spending more time and skills where they are needed most instead of doing checks that are not required.

"Qualified and appropriately trained pilots will continue to perform a pre-flight check prior to each flight departure and an engineer will be assigned to every aircraft that needs a check performed, as per the CASA-approved system of maintenance."

The union had demanded Qantas not introduce the new system of maintenance last year as part of its industrial campaign.

Mr Strambi dismissed claims from the union that Qantas had failed to follow an internal change management policy by not getting union approval for the changes.

"There is nothing in our internal change management procedures which says unions get a veto over any change the business is implementing, or that we require union approval,'' he said.

Qantas will continue to have licenced engineers conduct a pre-flight check on all international flights and domestic flights with older B767 and B737-400 aircraft.